bisonhome welcomes spring with Botanica

Natassja Hoogstad Hay

Spring in Canberra is all about flowers, but it’s not just Floriade that’s ushering in the warmer weather this year.

From 19 September, iconic Canberra design studio bisonhome will mark the start of spring with four weekends of Botanica, a series of events that will celebrate Canberra’s best design, food, cocktails and flowers.

Each weekend will feature a different speaker and will introduce a new piece from the bisonhome collection along with a unique floral display.

bisonhome founder and creative director Brian Tunks says plans to use his his Pialligo showroom for a spring celebration have been in the works for years, and he’s excited to bring it to fruition in collaboration with friends in the design community.

“For a number of years I’ve thought of the need to incorporate my own work and design with a celebration of spring… in Canberra, that to me is the magic period, that beautiful time when from 1 September a switch is flicked and everything comes alive again,” says Brian.

Brian, a former ancient historian, will open the series this weekend with a talk on the relationship between classical pottery methods and the evolution of the collection, along with a few styling and design tips for the home.

The following weekends will feature guest speakers chef Gus Armstrong, floralista Lou Moxom, from Moxom and Whitney and mixologist Russell Pearson with the perfect spring cocktails. Each talk will incorporate pieces from the bisonhome collection.

bisonhome’s wares are stunningly designed and timeless. And that’s the point. “I want to show people that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to style and form, you don’t need to be part of this mass consumption process, but a thoughtful community where we buy things that are also relevant in 20 years,” says Brian.

“I love the idea that good design doesn’t necessarily date. One of my favourite sayings is ‘good design is never on trend’,” he adds.

While Brian managed the production of bisonhome products for 16 years, he has now partnered with boutique studios in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to be keep up with demand. Although moving production overseas was initially driven by serious illness, bringing on overseas partners has allowed Brian to develop bisonhome internationally.

Canberra is home though, and Brian has a particular love for Pialligo, where his showroom is based, nestled amongst wineries, nurseries and restaurants.

Filling the Pialligo studio with flowers and people for the next few weekends will be fun, and he hopes visitors and locals alike will branch out from Floriade this spring.

Brian’s parting advice: “Don’t be institutionalised when you come to Canberra – get outside the normal things you do and discover what makes the city tick on a more thoughtful level.”

Natassja Hoogstad Hay is a communications professional working in Canberra. An unashamed foodie, she loves cooking and going out to eat, and has a special love of coffee and wine. She’s obsessed with social media (handy in her field!) and is working on perfecting her Instagram game. In her spare time you might find her at a yoga class, cosied up on the couch with a book or the TV, or outside taking photos of beautiful Canberra sunsets. More about the Author